United Church of Canada: KAIROS Initiatives

Published purpose

This project aims to empower women human rights defenders and organizations to effectively participate in peacebuilding, reconciliation, and human rights processes in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and the West Bank. The project seeks to strengthen beneficiaries’ ability to use national laws and international human rights frameworks to defend and protect women’s rights in conflict settings. Project activities include: (1) providing psychosocial and legal support to help women survivors recover from and seek justice for the physical and psychological violence they have experienced; (2) training women human rights defenders and organizations and other key stakeholders on national and international human rights frameworks, gender-based analysis, and organizational strengthening; (3) developing or improving National Action Plans and implementing the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) on women, peace and security; and (4) establishing South-South exchanges to facilitate networking, mutual learning and skills building. This project expects to reach about 35,000 beneficiaries (78% women and 22% men) directly in the five countries or territories, including approximately 9,500 women survivors of gender-based violence. It also expects to indirectly reach 200,000 (150,000 women and 50,000 men) beneficiaries nationally, including extended families, community members, networks, government employees, other stakeholders, and another two million indirect beneficiaries internationally through networks, coalitions, and social media.